Starkest, Strongest, Stranger Love
by Artie'sBox
Summary: Misaki finds herself dating a stranger in the Northern Woods. Find out who and why. Enjoy!


**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I disown the originality of the characters involved in this short story. The plot is made by yours truly but greatness shall be to none but hers – Tachibana Higuchi – CHEERS! ENJOY! ;)

Artie

TITLE: STARKEST, STRONGEST, STRANGER LOVE

GENRE: ROMANCE

CHARACTERS: MISAKI HARADA, TSUBASA ANDOU

SECONDARY: MEGANE, TONO

"Tsubasa didn't make it... I'm so sorry," Tono said embracing me tightly. I tried to let it out but tears won't come from my eyes. I simply just embraced Tono back.

"I know it's painful but we can get through this together." Tono softly comforted. I, on the other hand, just remained silent.

"CUT~" Megane yelled from behind the lights that focused at us.

"What the?" Tono exclaimed.

"Aw, come on. We were doing great!" I said.

"No~! Misaki, people needs tears!" he shouted at me.

"But~!" I tried to explain.

"No buts!" he yelled sitting down on a chair. "Okay! Take three!"

I pouted. And the lights were on again.

"Tsubasa didn't make it. I'm so sorry." Tono said once again.

"NOOOO~! WHY~? HUWAAAAA~!" I cried loudly.

Megane's eyes twitched and Tono tried so hard not to burst out laughing.

"Shh... I know it's painful but we can get~"

"NO! I want Tsubasa..." I interrupted with the fake and loud yelling.

"STOOOOOOOP~!" Megane stood up from his chair. "WHAT THE HELL, MISAKI? You lost your lollipop?" he crumpled his hair to mess.

"You said tears!" I complained pointing at my dried eyes.

"What- YOU WERE CRYING LIKE A BABY WHO NEEDS MILK! And it's not even in the script!"

"BREAK!" Tono tried to interfere.

"No! No Break until this is done!" he said as he glared at us.

"Megane!" Tono screamed at him with a serious and slightly furious look.

Megane took a deep breathe... "Okay... I'm sorry. I just want this get over with. I want everything back. Sorry, okay?"

I stepped out of the platform. "Hey," Tono called. "Where are you going?"

"Someplace I don't need to cry..." I said with a low tone. Tono tried to follow me but the blue-haired guy grabbed his arm from behind. "Let her..." he said. "She needs this."

We've been practicing this play for months now, that's what they said. It was supposed to be played this the month-end for the flower fest which was about a week from now. And it was a perfect play until I happened to ruin the hardships because of three days earlier, when I accidentally drank a forgetting potion, that's what they told me.

I knew I wasn't who I'm supposed to be that time but I didn't know who to be or how to be 'ME'. I felt like not giving a damn anymore but being nobody to myself felt so empty. And I know treating everyone perfect strangers also sucks for them.

I sighed and sat on the bench for hours. I just missed lunch and I have nowhere to go except that place. It was all quiet and peaceful. The sun was almost down now. The soft breeze of the of the last summer days chorusing with the birds chirping and the humming of the crickets aroused my intent to know who I was.

"Misaki" a familiar yet another stranger's voice greeted me.

"Great. It's you again. What do you want this time?" I bluntly asked. I knew it was the wrong words to come from me but right then, I was just confused to even stop for a second and think who I should be.

He gently smiled. "I figured you were hungry." He said with his sweet voice. It blended with my surroundings. My heart skipped when he sit beside me and unpacked a prepared dinner from a paper bag. Everything was like a serenade. I found it weird that I was actually feeling that way. I didn't know that feeling. He was a stranger yet it felt so right; so perfect.

I stared at the ground just to ignore him.

"I made your favourite." He said as I glanced at him for a while. My lips trembled a little. I looked away. He'd been doing these kinds of things for four days now.

He sighed. "I'd been doing these kinds of things for years now," he said confidently.

"Years?" I asked with a brow lifted up. He did the same and smiles.

"Yes, years. And if this isn't the first time you throw that face at me." He mumbled. "For years, we dated; I made you food; I kicked some guys' asses for you." I laughed at the last one. I chuckled. Then I found myself confused again.

_Why am I laughing? What's so funny? _I thought.

He looked surprised as well. "What?" I asked as cold as I could sound.

"You laughed" he smiled with an expression of a father about to have a baby. It was a weird look on his face.

"Years, you say? And you're surprised I laugh?" I asked him sarcastically.

He scratched his head. I think he was slightly blushing. I couldn't really tell. The colours of the setting sun made it feel so real – that he was blushing. I wish he was. And I wish I was too.

"You still won't accept these?" he offered the box of meal.

"They're yours." I flinched. As much as I wanted the food, and heavens know how he figured they were my favourite, I said no for the "countlessth" time in four days.

He reached for something from his pocket. I tried not to notice.

"Misaki Harada..." he softly called but I looked away from him. "Hey" he nudged my elbow with a childlike tone. "Don't be a meanie... do your part..." he was talking about the part of the play where he proclaims he love me before dying. I can't believe I will be playing that idiotic script. And I know what he is about to say... _I'm giving this stone to you... let it remind you that even when I'm not around, my shadow remains with you..."_

Even the script was creepy but that's what I thought he would say after seeing his alice stone hanging on a necklace. I looked at him with an annoyed expression. He took a deep breath first. Then I was shocked for the next things he did.

"Can you please..." he knelt down before me. My eyes grew wider. "Please..." he repeated with a more pleasing tone and puppy-ish eyes. "...accept this stone to remind you..." And I definitely thought I know of the rest. I thought...

"To remind you of what we were, what we are and what we will be? To remind you that I was yours, I am yours and yours I will forever be? As a proof that you were, you are, and you will always be..." he paused. Right there, I knew... I was certainly blushing... no, I was tomato red. My heart skipped beats as he told me those words. And I was honestly eager for the next phrase to finish it. I was giving myself away. My heart was figuratively beating itself out of its cages.

He continued, "Why are you blushing?" he chuckled.

"WHAAAA~T?" I yelled at him. I stood up; red of anger. I was furious and ashamed, and I was about to kick him off.

He laughed under his words. "Wait! Okay! Okay, before you start to beat the crap out of me again and start to like it, just let me finish... For kicking me lots of times already before, just... hold on a minute..." I calmed down a little when he stood up and drew himself closer.

He paused to compose himself. Colours bound with the next moves he took. He wrapped his arms around my neck and fixed the necklace on me. I was shocked and at the same time, I felt like it was the right thing he'd do. His head past over my shoulder as he affixed the necklace of his alice stone.

"...my girl... my light... my whole world..." he whispered to my ear. I looked up and my teardrops started to fall. The first star of the night just shone right above us. I remained silent.

_Why am I crying? _I scolded myself. And just when I was about to push him off, wipe my tears and storm out, he pulled his hand up to my cheek.

"If you're looking for the place you don't have to cry, you're in the most right spot in the universe. And so am I. So please... stay." He whispered as he wiped dry my cheeks and my eyes.

_The place where I never have to cry. How much have you loved me already? How much was I to you? How much have you lost? How much have I lost?_

"Tsubasa." I whispered.

"Hmm?" his sweet tone whispered back.

"Can I h –" And just when I was about to finish my words, he finally rested his jaw on my shoulder as if he just read my mind.

"Nope, you can't... But you can hug me back..."

_If it was this wonderful just right now, how wonderful was the feeling that I just forgot?_

I grabbed him real tight and I finally felt like smiling for real... without hesitation, "We don't have to rot here. You just have to e with me... And I just have to be with you. With that, together... We can go anywhere..."

Those words that I did not know I can say, I said directly to the man who made me cry, and the one who made me laugh and smile for the first time. Those words felt like they were jailed in me for the past days. Saying it feels so right; so perfect... Those words made it certain... I fell in love to the same man twice... And I know I'll fall in love with him again...

FIN


End file.
